Love on the Run
by TWDshipper
Summary: Bethyl shipping. Begins with the abduction of Beth but won't follow the series from there.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Fanfic. It is based upon Dethyl Shipping love. Reviews welcome.

I have no ownership interest in the characters or show. I simply ship. Rated MA

CHAPTER ONE

Beth breathed raggedly into the bag covering her head, trying not to panic. She had been running, just like Darryl said to, and she stole a glance over her shoulder to make sure a walker was not on her heels when she was suddenly snatched off her feet and a large, calloused hand covered her mouth. The man growled into her ear, "Don't make a sound, girl, or I will cut your throat and leave you for the walkers."

Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears she almost couldn't make out the words. But the sharp blade at her throat made his meaning clear enough. She froze, other than nodding her understanding. She dropped her arms, allowing her bag to drop soundlessly to the ground. _Please, please, please, please__…_ She silently pleaded.

Surely Darryl would see it and realize what happened. Surely he would come for her.

The man dragged her effortlessly a short distance where he had hidden his car. As they approached the passenger door opened. "Did you get her?" the man's partner demanded.

"Yeah, I got her. Load up and let's get the fuck out of here. Darryl may already know she is missing." The man yanked her closer. "Do I need to remind you to be quiet?"

She shook her head, eyes wide with fear.

He shoved her roughly toward the other man. He quickly zip tied her hands and feet and yanked the bag over her head. He pushed her into the car and jumped in the driver's seat. They sped into the darkness.

Darryl ran to the road, eyes searching for walkers, but also for Beth. Truth be told, mostly for Beth. "Beth? Where you at, girl?"

The adrenaline was still pumping from battle with the walkers. His instincts told him that something was very wrong. His eyes suddenly spied the bag in the road. Beth's bag. "Sweet Jesus, no!" He raced over to it searching in all directions. He saw the vehicle's taillights in the distance, with the cross in the window. His eyes turned to ice and his mind emptied of all thoughts but of catching his prey. He began sprinting after the car.

At every curve, he used all of his hunting and tracking skills to try to determine if the car had left the highway. He continued running mindlessly after it, using the detachment he had learned at the hands of abuse to numb himself to the paralyzing fear of what was happening to Beth. He had learned well how to be empty, just a shell, until he could make his move. He was hunting for her and he would get her back. And kill whoever had taken her.

Beth tried to clear her mind and pay attention to the path the speeding car was taking. Her captors hadn't said a word since they had taken her. She silently pleaded. _Darryl, please please, please find me. Or let me find my way back to you. Please._

"Fuck!" yelled the driver, struggling to maintain control of the car. The front left tire had exploded, causing the vehicle to abruptly steer toward the left. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle began to yaw across the road. Beth fought to roll herself into the floorboard.

"Stop the fucking car!"

"I can't, asshole!"

The car left the roadway and skidded into a tree. The airbags burst out, dazing both men. Beth had the wind knocked out of her. She struggled to get air, finally succeeding, gasping. The men stirred.

"You stupid motherfucker. What the fuck are we supposed to do without a car?"

"How the fuck would I know. I saved your ass. At least your still breathing." The man who had snatched Beth yanked his door open. "Get out of the

goddam car. Darryl's probly right goddam behind us. He's too fucking mean for the walkers to have gotten."

His partner called out on the CB. "Dead in the water with the package. Milemarker 68. Rendezvous spot J. Get your asses over here."

The response was quick. "10-4"

The driver ripped open the door, scooped Beth out and bent down, quickly slicing the zip tie binding her feet open. She staggered as though her feet had gone to sleep, trampling a small scrub brush with her size 7 shoe. Darryl would know she had gotten out of the car. The man jerked her by the arm. "Stand up, bitch. We are gonna have to walk until they can get us. You gonna have to keep up."

The two men frog marched her between them, weapons drawn and flashlights scanning the perimeter. As they reached a side road, they headed toward it.

"Where are we going?" The words croaked out. She felt like her throat was coated in dust.

"None of your fucking business. Just walk." Emphasis was added by shoving her forward. She allowed herself to fall forward with the momentum, the asphalt ripping through her jeans digging into her knee.

She was pulled up roughly. "Goddam you are a clumsy one. Keep on your feet, bitch. We got to move. They continued on their hurried trek.

Darryl dove into the ditch. The car was jammed up by a tree on the side of the road. Steam rose from under the hood. He sank into the ground and made his way to the wood line. His senses were now hyper-sensitized. The prey was in his sights. He silently worked his way to the vehicle. Empty. He risked shining his flashlight on the ground and saw the boot tracks from the men, counted two. Big guys. Military boots. And a small bush trampled by a size 7 foot. He could see where she had staggered. He smirked. _Good girl, baby._

He walked toward the road figuring that they would know they could make better time on it than trying to pull her behind them on uneven terrain in the dark. His eyes scanned the horizon. He was running, again clearing his mind.

A walker lunged out from behind a bush and came at him, followed by two more. Darryl didn't even break stride, drawing up his bow shooting the last two in the forehead and through the face and knifing the first one as they met. He pulled the arrows out of the walkers' heads and continued to track his prey.

When he saw the side road he slowed down, using his flashlight. His eye caught the glint of blood and saw the torn denim left on the roadway. He turned and began sprinting again.

"Where the fuck are they?"

"How the fuck would I know?"

"They should have been here by now."

"Well, I goddam well know that. They aren't."

"Jesus. I'll check the perimeter. Don't want a walker or Darryl fucking Dixon strolling over here."

"Yeah you go do that. I'm gonna see if I can find them on the portable."

The man melted into the darkness, his long gun on his shoulder. She knew Darryl would be wary but that he could take care of himself. But her heart pounded with fear for him nonetheless.

She listened to the man on the radio talking to his team, but couldn't keep her mind off Darryl. God, Darryl. They knew his name. She was a tool they were going to use to try to get to him. _Please, please, please__…__._ After losing her daddy, and maybe Judith, Glenn and Maggie, she couldn't bear to lose someone else she cared about.

The man checking the perimeter moved silently near the wood line. Darryl made him at about 100 yards, seeing the branch move opposite the direction of the wind when the man brushed too close to it. Long gun. Probably a pistol and definitely a clutch piece on his right ankle. He stepped behind an oak and began moving in the woods, his years spent in them aiding him in silencing his footfalls. He could hear the frogs in the water, croaking, and the rustle of the night animals. But his mind was on one living creature. He controlled his breathing as he moved toward the man, pulling an arrow out of his quiver pulled back the string, moving his weapon to his shoulder. The man materialized out of the night and Darryl didn't hesitate. He released the bolt. It was true and clean and the man dropped to the ground. Darryl bent to insure he was dead, pulled the arrow out. He heard the radio's low volume, with the man's partner wanting a sit-rep. He grabbed the pistol from the man's waistband and tucked it into his own and scooped up the radio, turning the volume even lower. He continued on the edge of the woods, knowing he was close.

_Hang in there, baby. I__'__m coming. I__'__m coming for you._

The man was starting to get nervous. Beth could see his eyes darting around. She felt a surge of hope. Darryl was coming for her. She knew it. The man rose up and pulled her up with him. "C'mon girl. We got to move. That sumbitch is on our trail."

He began pulling her along with him. She tried to walk slower and make him carry more of her weight. He jerked her toward him and clamped a hand over her right breast, digging his fingers cruelly into the tender flesh. "Move your ass or your last memory will be of me fucking you on the side of the road. And while I might enjoy it," He leered at her, his eyes tracing her form like rough hands. "You won't. I will hurt you. And then kill you."

Her eyes widened with pain and shock. Her stomach roiled. He released her breast and began to walk, pulling her in his wake.

Darryl's eyes narrowed in the dark. He had heard the words the man said and could imagine what he had done. That motherfucker had put his hands on her and scared her. Darryl felt the urge to kill flow through his mind and body. He sped up, following the sounds of their movement.

He caught up with them within a mile. He sensed them rather than seeing them. He could see moonlight glinting off Beth's hair. Relief coursed through him which he quickly quelled. _You ain__'__t got her yet_, he reminded himself.

He drew back the string, subconsciously making adjustments for distance, speed and wind and released the bolt. The arrow sliced through his target's chest, felling him. His grip on Beth did not loosen and he pulled her down with him. Darryl was on top of them by the time he hit the ground and launched himself onto the pile, pulling Beth free and behind him as he pressed his knife to the man's throat.

His eyes were frigid. "You ok, girl?" His eyes didn't move from being locked with the man's.

"Y-y-yes," she stammered.

"I didn't hurt her none, Darryl. Ask her—she'll tell you." The man's eyes were apprehensive. "I'm just a foot soldier doin' my job."

Darryl reached with his other hand and moved the arrow minutely, eliciting a gasp of pain. "Fuck! Fuck that hurts! Goddammit stop!"

Darryl moved it slightly again, and the man's eyes rolled back. "Who are you a foot soldier for, asshole?" The man stared back, mute. He reached for the arrow again.

"Goddam—I work for Todd. Merle turned on him during a heist and cost him 10 fucking years in lockdown. He's been lookin' for payback for damn near all of that time. It's fucking payback."

"Ok. Ok, then. Nothing personal is what you saying."

"Right," he said eagerly. "Nothing personal. Just payback for Todd. I'm just part of his crew."

"Got it," Darryl said, almost smiling. But then his eyes turned to flint. "No, man. You put hands on Beth. THIS is fucking payback." He slit the man's throat. Blood sprayed up onto his shirt and skin. He stood up, swiping his sleeve across his eyes removing the blood and wiping his knife on his pants. He turned to look at Beth, who was shaking with reaction. He turned her around, cutting the other zip tie and then turned her back to him. He crushed his mouth to hers, holding her body close to his with a hand on the back of her head and the other on her hip. It shot through her hot and need rose in her. He released her before she could react.

He turned to the woods held out his hand to her and said, "We gotta go, baby."

She reached out and took his hand without hesitation and they ran into the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

Love on the Run

Chapter 2

The Humvee and the truck pulled up by the second body. The front passenger jumped out of the Humvee and quickly assessed the situation. "He's toast."

Todd slammed his hands down on the dash repeatedly. "Fuck, fuck FUCK! Unload and let's go. Get the girl— and then get me Dixon!"

The seven member team bolted from the vehicles and loaded weaponry and extra clips. Handheld radios were coordinated to common channels. The team was experienced in networks and had worked together since the infections began. They were soldiers of fortune who now worked for Todd—the guy with resources since fortunes weren't worth shit anymore. Todd didn't think they could get Dixon without bait. They had been trailing him loosely since the prison fight. They knew the girl was the key. With hand signals they disbursed to hunt down their target.

They had been running for a while when they ran across a small creek. Darryl stopped, grabbed his canteen and filled it with fresh, cold water. He wordlessly handed it to Beth. She gulped greedily, emptying the canteen. He refilled it, drank and then refilled it and capped it, strapping it across his body.

He pulled out the pistol he'd taken from the dead guy. He checked the clip, insured one was in the chamber and the safety was off. He held the gun out to Beth. She stared at it.

"You need a weapon. You got to be able to protect yourself if something happens to me." She stared at him.

"You hurt?" Darryl asked.

"No. Just. Just…." She burst into tears.

_Shit. Now what the fuck am I supposed to do?_ He didn't have to think anymore because she threw herself forward almost knocking them both down. Tears quickly soaked through his shirt. His arms wrapped around her, enfolding her in his warmth.

"Don't cry, baby. You're ok. It's ok now. Shhhhhh, baby." He pressed his lips to her hair.

_Goddamn she smelled good. And, felt good. Hittin' the sweet spots. _He caught himself. _What kind of low life redneck sumbitch gonna get hard when she's cryin' into his shirt? Fuckin' worthless. _He steeled himself to not acknowledge her gentle curves, instead patting her back in what he hoped was a brotherly fashion. The sobbing trailed off until she leaned back.

Her eyes were wet and wide. They were still embracing. Darryl stared at those eyes. _Man could get lost in those eyes. Looked like she could see straight into a man's soul._ His eyes slid down to her lips. They parted under his gaze and he felt her breath catch. Felt himself leaning in. And then caught himself.

He abruptly let her go. "A'ight. Glad you ok. We got to get movin'. C'mon, girl." He turned and sloshed into the creek.

_What had just happened? One minute she was warm in his arms and the next…. Holy crap, the next! He looked like he was going to devour her. And she—wasn't sure what she thought of that. But she felt the butterflies in her stomach and warmth curling between her legs. _He turned back and saw her just staring at him.

_ "_We got to quit leavin' a trail for them. We look like we been droppin' bread crumbs up till now. Let's see them tail us in this."

She followed him into the water.

The men were trailing them. They had a good 30 minute head start, but they were fanned out in formation. They would have them soon.

"Give me a sit-rep." Todd had stayed in the Humvee, the mobile command center.

"On their heels. Got a good trail. In formation to flank them and take them down."

"Good. Get your asses in gear."

Darryl didn't have to look at her to feel her fatigue. Her steps had gradually slowed and he heard her labored breathing. They had been in the creek walking for about an hour. He figured they had about 3-4 miles of breathing room. A small outcropping of rocks caught his eye. _Yeah, that might work. _"Stay here a minute, girl."

He waded over toward it, crossbow on his shoulder. He cleared the small space. It was almost obscured by vegetation, was near a water source and, if you weren't looking for it, you might not even notice the small shelter. "C'mon girl. Time for some rest."

God, she was trying not to be a burden but she almost cried with relief. Every part of her body hurt and her eyes burned from exhaustion. She almost staggered into Darryl, who reached out steadying her on her feet. "You ok?"

She met his gaze. "Yeah. Just kinda tired."

He nodded and helped her climb into the small cave. He went over by the bank and picked up some fallen branches, carefully covering his tracks by dragging a leafy branch over true sand on the edge of the creek. He climbed in and used the extra foliage to completely cover their shelter.

She was sitting cross-legged waiting for him. He removed two blankets from his pack and laid one down as a pallet, nodding with his head for her to lay down. She laid down gratefully, carefully scooting back to leave room for him.

The whole shelter was about 6 feet wide and 4&1/2 feet high and about 4 feet deep. He sucked in a deep breath. _Fuck. These gonna' be some close quarters. Pressed up against that sweet body. That warm sweet body, _he amended. And then scowled at his own thoughts. _Fuckin' pervert. _

Beth's eyelids were growing too heavy to hold open. But she shivered. Her speech was slurred from exhaustion. "Darryl, I'm cold."

He laid down beside her willing himself to think about, well, _anything _other than the hot bodied woman next to him. He spread the blanket over them both and tucked her head under his chin, her head resting on his arm, his other arm draped over her waist and hip. She snuggled up to his warmth, pressing curves he was trying to ignore up against his hardness. _And speaking of hard….Fuck. FUCK. What the hell was he supposed to do with this raging hard on?_ He shifted his hips back, hoping she wouldn't notice, or might think it was a weapon of some sort. She moved her hips closer, trying to reestablish contact. His breath hissed out between his teeth and he jerked his head back. And realized she was out cold.

Her breathing was deep and even. He closed his eyes with relief. Surely by morning his cock would go back to it's resting position and not embarrass him and Beth both. _Jesus, I hope so._

He tried to remember the last time he just held a woman in sleep. Shit, he didn't know if he ever had. Sure, he'd held a woman after fucking, long enough for them to catch their breath an go on their merry ways. Or he'd held drunk women. Hell, a lot of drunk women. But just a woman so she could sleep? He didn't like the uncertainty he felt about how he felt about it. Goddamn, he liked it. Or liked having this woman in his arms, breath warming his skin in sleep.

His hand moved up and traced her lashes and tentatively brushed her cheek. Her skin was soft, like satin. He'd never felt such soft skin. A trace of a smile played at the corners of his mouth, but he could almost hear Merle talking to him. "_You a pussy now? Get all stirred up by some gash's skin? Fuck, you're soft, Darryl. I ain't taught you nothin'"_

He needed to start his watch anyway. He slowly detached himself from Beth, feeling cool air where warm softness had been. Shit, he actually missed the feeling. But if they could tail them, they should be around soon. And he was going to make damn sure he was ready. There was no chance that they were going to get their hands on Beth again.


	3. Chapter 3

Love on the Run

Chapter 3

Daryl climbed back into the shelter, having finished another sweep. There was no sign of their pursuers. Dawn was breaking. He had run across some blackberries and grabbed a couple of handfuls pouring them carefully into his hunting pouch. He wishes he could have shot some of the squirrels he had seen, but didn't want to risk a fire so soon after their escape.

When he replaced their entrance foliage, Beth stirred. "Time is it?"

"'Bout 6:00."

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she frowned at him. "Did you get any sleep?" she demanded.

"Nah, I wasn't tired. Anyway, wanted to keep watch case them sumbitches came back."

She knew that was the truth but he looked so tired. She reached out a finger and traced the circles under his eyes. "Liar. You are tired." He resisted the urge to pull away from the gentle touch.

She sat up and stretched like a cat. Daryl looked away from her, swallowing audibly. He could still see her in his mind, hair tousled, eyes puffy from slumber, pink cheeks, arms out wide, breasts pressed tautly against the thin fabric of her shirt. _Yeah, best not be thinking about those tits, dumbass. You gonna wind up hard again and be the most blue-balled sumbitch in history. Too fucking late._

He tried to shift his thinking. He held the canteen up to her and pulled out the pouch of berries. He rinsed them using his hand as a sieve at the edge of the shelter. He laid the wet berries on the kerchief she had pulled from her pocket and set out between them.

"Breakfast in bed. Thank you, Mr. Dixon." She popped a berry in her mouth and released the tart juices. "Mmmmm. Delicious."

He ignored the moaning. It damn sure wasn't helping him calm down his cock. He scooped up a handful of berries and turned his back to her. "Gotta keep watch. Try to be quiet." He knew he was being abrupt with her, but that was all he could do. _Better than sitting there staring at her like some dumb moon-brained sap. Fuck._

She finished her berries studying his back. He looked tense, she decided. He smelled of sweat and the woods, not unpleasantly. And damn. Those arms. They bulged with muscles earned by hard work, not gym rat reps. She ate the last of her berries and drank deeply from the canteen. She ran her fingers through her hair, fastening it in a loose ponytail. She folded up the blankets and then sat cross-legged, studying the fine masculine form in front of her.

Most of last night she wanted to forget. And she almost could because with Daryl, she knew she was safe. But, that moment, when he kissed her. She felt her skin flush with the memory. No boy had ever kissed her like that, hard and full of hot demand. _Course I guess Daryl is the first man I've kissed. Not that she'd been kissed a lot. Hadn't been time with the walkers and everything falling apart. But that kiss….. _She felt her cheeks burn with the memory and her belly fluttered. _This is what need felt like._

Maybe he felt something for her. Want, need, something. That kiss sure felt like it. Yet since then, he touched her like a brother. Well, that wouldn't do at all. He couldn't cause her to flame up with a brief kiss and then act like it had never happened. It had stirred feelings in her she couldn't ignore, and didn't want to ignore. Who knew how much time either of them had? They could die today for all she knew. So she was going to grab that brass ring.

"So you wanna kiss me again?"

Daryl turned to her sure that he had misunderstood. "What'd you say, girl?"

She cleared her throat. Her voice was a little coarse, from just waking up and from fighting her shy nature to be bold. "I said do you wanna kiss me again?" She paused for a second. "Because I want you to."

Daryl just stared at her, dumbfounded. He could hear Merle's voice in his head. "Goddam you are stupid, boy. You think this doctor's daughter might want a redneck dumbass like you?" Besides that, his own mind told him this couldn't happen. She was only 18 for Christ's sake. He shouldn't have kissed her last night, but he did. She was Hershel's daughter and, goddam, had seen his head lopped off right in front of her face just a couple of weeks ago. He'd have to be a lowlife pervert to take advantage of her under those circumstances. "Naw, Beth. I shouldn't've kissed you. You're too young for me and you've been through too much lately. So we ain't kissin' or doin' anything else. From now on, we just gonna be partners trying to survive. We gonna find the others and go on with our lives."

He turned his back on her. Her mouth, which had dropped open during his little speech, clamped shut as she inhaled sharply. Her eyes narrowed on his back. _Oh really? You think you're going to call the shots on what I'm gonna do? Too young? Shoot, my momma was 14 years younger than daddy—and you're only 2 more years older than that. Jerk._

She got up a good head of steam thinking about his high handed declaration that nothing was going to happen. She was a relatively pretty girl. She discreetly sniffed her armpits and her breath. Not baby fresh but not bad, but she could do better. We'll see about your _plans, _Daryl.

Daryl turned to her completely unaware of the wild twists and turns of her thinking. "I need about 2 hours of shut eye. Be quiet, stay in here and keep watch. You see or hear anything you wake me up, ya' hear me?"

She nodded, busy plotting her next move. He settled down behind her, not even bothering to unfold the blankets and promptly went to sleep. She started her watch.

It was clear that the trail was cold. They made their way back to the vehicles. Todd wouldn't like this little development.

"What the fuck do you mean, you lost them? I got 7 of the best hired muscle left on this god-forsaken planet, and you stupid, worthless motherfuckers can't track one guy and one girl? Goddam." He spat.

"Look, Todd, we figure they took to the water, but coulda' gone up or down stream and they got hours on us now. We ran sweeps in every direction about 3 miles. Trail was cold." The man shrugged.

"So that's it?"

The man shrugged again. "Nothin' to be done but regroup and try to locate them again."

Todd raised the pistol with lighting speed and shot the man in the forehead. None of the men blinked. Death happened all the time. But no one said a word as they loaded up into the vehicles and sped down the highway.

Beth reached into her pack grateful that Daryl had slung it over his shoulder before he began his pursuit. She fished down into a sock and pulled out a bar of soap. She needed a bath. It had been almost 2 hours since Daryl went to sleep, she hadn't seen or heard anything and the creek was about 3 feet from their shelter. No reason she couldn't go ahead and bathe.

She carefully moved one of the branches and slipped through the small opening. She had grabbed her extra set of clothes to put on after. She stripped off her clothes putting them to soak at the edge of the water and walked in about thigh high into the water and then sank in, dunking her head into the clear water. She soaped up, rinsed, and then did it again because it felt so good. She washed her hair with the soap, thinking longingly of conditioners and hair dryers. _Oh, well, the sun'll have to do._

She walked to the edge, naked as the day she was born. The sun felt good on her skin. She finger combed her hair and fluffed it. Then she dropped the soap on her clothes and walked out of the water.

Daryl woke with a start, as he often did. He didn't dream. Hadn't since childhood. No point in it. His eyes swept the space and he leapt up to his knees. _Where the fuck was Beth?_

Just as he began to reach for the branches and go looking for her, she walked, naked right in front of the shelter to the water's edge. She was petite, with perfectly sized breasts a narrow waist and a triangle of pale hair at the apex of curvy thighs. The blood roared through his veins directly to his cock, which sprang to life, straining to break free of his pants. Fierce want was all that he could feel as he watched her brush water droplets from her skin, raising her face to the sun. _Goddam. Goddam. Fuck. _

She pulled on a simple pair of cotton panties and a thin tank bra. His eyes devoured her. No lingerie would do greater justice than those simple cotton garments. He swallowed thickly, fighting to rip his eyes away from her.

"Beth?" His voice was husky. "You out there?"

"Yeah, right here. I took a bath. You want to? I got soap and I could wash our clothes real quick. Sun'll dry them fast."

"You dressed?"

"Sure."

He came out of the shelter and stopped, agog. She was washing her clothes, still wearing the tank and panties. He quickly turned his back to her. "I thought you said you were dressed, girl."

"I am dressed, silly. I had a bikini that was way skimpier than this back home."

He decided to make his mind ignore that idea and refused to try to speculate as to what that might've looked like. _Goddam, this girl's gonna kill me. I'm gonna die of bluebells of all things during the zombie apocalypse. _

He turned back to her. She was smiling, her hair lit like liquid gold around her face, pale skin and white cotton. "Now, gimme your clothes. Here's the soap." She tossed him the bar.

He waded out a bit and sank down in the water. He removed his clothes and tossed them up to the bank where she was waiting. She began washing them as he quickly bathed, thinking about baseball.

He suddenly realized that in his haste to hide his hard on, he had stripped buck naked without a towel or clothes to put on. Beth was working on the blood stains on his shirt, making a combination of soap and sand to scrub at them. _What the fuck do I do now?_

She glanced at him. "You comin' outta there? I'm almost done with the clothes."

"I, uh," He cleared his throat. "I forgot to grab my other clothes."

She giggled.

"You gonna get them for me or what?" He was getting impatient. She was laughing at him for Christ's sake.

"Haven't you ever been skinny-dipping?" Her eyes glinted mischievously.

That certainly undid all the good he had done with the baseball stats. He struggled to think of something other than Beth naked in the water. He scowled at her. "Hell yes I been skinny-dipping, girl. But I ain't fixing to skinny dip with you."

"You sure?" She grinned wickedly at him.

He dragged his eyes from her. _How the fuck did she do that? Lookin' like an angel but those eyes had nothin' but sin in them._

Suddenly she was in the water next to him, naked. She bobbed under and came up, spouting water toward his face. He moved his head and reached for her before she could splash him again.

Wet skin, warm and soft under his hands. Slippery, she wriggled free and started to go under again. He caught her more firmly and pulled her against him, thwarting another escape. The laugh that had started in his throat died abruptly as she rested flush up against him.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She was naked up against this man. His hardness and arms like steel around her caused heat to sear through her. Her legs trembled as the heat melted between her legs. She gasped from the strength of the want that surged through her body. Their eyes locked. _God. Oh my God._

He felt every inch of her against him. When her eyes darkened and her lips parted she leaned toward him and his resolve dissolved. He took her mouth, devouring her lips and his hands molded her hips to his. His cock was rock-hard against her belly and she was instantly aroused even further. His hands slid up her waist to her ribs and he moved them slowly to cover her breasts. When he filled his hands with her, he groaned at the perfection.

Her head fell back as she made a noise in her throat. She couldn't even think. All she could think of was how good his hands felt on her and how much she wanted….more.

He captured her mouth again, driven wild by the sounds she was making. He wanted all of her right now. He lightly squeezed her breasts and she cried out in pain. He jerked away from her and looked down at her breasts. Her right breast bore the marks of the man who had hurt her. His want was extinguished by the attack of conscience. His hands moved to encircle her, gentle now, as though she were made of the most fragile glass. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm sorry, girl. I'm so sorry."

"No, don't be. I know you didn't mean to hurt me." She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull his mouth back to hers and he reached up and pulled them away. "This can't happen, girl. It ain't right."

He pulled away and waded out into the shelter and dressed. When he came out, she was also dressed and her face calm. "I'm gonna do a quick sweep and then we need to find more substantial shelter. I'll be back soon." He went into the woods, sure-footed and silent, cross bow at the ready.

She dragged a hand over her face. Want and need still raged through her. _This isn't over, Daryl Dixon. Not by a long shot. _Determination fueled her packing up of their provisions. _Not over._

She waited for his return.


	4. Chapter 4

Love on the Run

Chapter 4

They had been walking for hours. The terrain was rough, mostly hills and lots of fallen branches and other obstacles to climb over The sun bore down on them in the heat of the late Georgia summer. She swiped her brow, smudging dust and dirt into the sweat. She could hear the whine of the mosquito near her ear and swatted at it. Daryl didn't act the least bit like he even noticed the discomfort, which made her scowl at his back. He hadn't said more than two words to her since they left the creek, other than offering a grunt of acknowledgement when she thanked him for lending a hand over particularly big obstacles. She scowled some more.

Daryl continued to keep watch for walkers or other threats. So far they had been lucky. He had his crossbow down by his side, the knife tucked into his right side and a hatchet on the left. He'd given Beth the gun but was hoping she wouldn't have call to use it.

"Daryl, I need some water and a break."

He stopped, continuing to face forward and wordlessly reached back to hand her the canteen. He had to admit, she was tougher than she looked. He'd chosen a hard path to capitalize on their lead on the men that were pursuing him. He figured they had half a day, with which this much wild terrain was as safe as they could get. Now if they could just find shelter, they'd be—the thought was cut off by the shock of the cold water poured over his head. He turned and Beth was right there, on tiptoes, tilting the canteen and with a very satisfied smile on her face.

"You looked hot."

She was close. So close he could see the flecks of color in her blue eyes. _Nope. We ain't goin' down this road again._ He stepped back and she stepped forward after him, lowering the canteen to offer it to him. But hell, he was thirsty. He took the canteen and turned to the side, attempting some distance that way. Beth sidestepped with him as gracefully as if they were dancing. Now he scowled.

"Somethin' wrong?"

He ignored her. Beth Greene would not be ignored.

"Hot, isn't it?" He didn't reply, just scowled at the horizon as he gulped.

"C'mon, girl. We ain't got shelter yet." He secured the canteen as he turned and strode forward.

_Jackass, _she thought.

A branch snapped, so loud it could have been a thunderclap. He had pushed her back an had the crossbow at his shoulder before she had even settled on what the noise had been. And she saw them, about fifty feet out. Walkers. Two men and one woman. Daryl lowered the bow. "Stay here," he growled.

She crouched behind a small bush. He charged forward, hugging any available cover, footfalls silent. The walkers continued to lurch in their general direction. Breaking through a line of brush behind the walkers, another two women and two men followed. Beth's heart thundered in her chest. He would need her help. She followed him as quietly as she could, the gun gripped tightly in her sweaty palm.

Suddenly there were more materializing from the bushes, from behind trees. _Oh my God it's a herd! _Her step faltered. Daryl reached the same conclusion and turned to her. They had a thirty foot lead. His steps ate up the ground between them and he jerked her to the right. "Run!" he urged, voice low. "You don't stop for nothin'. I'm gonna cover the back."

She raced in the direction he pushed her, adrenaline pumping through her system. She heard Daryl charge at the three lead walkers using his hatchet and knife. No time to retrieve arrows. She kept running, him shortly behind her for approximately two miles. A small travel trailer was in the field ahead of them beside a barn and another storage building. It looked deserted, but Daryl reached out and took her hand, pulling her behind some bushes. "Lemme check it out first. You still got the gun?"

She looked down for the first time realizing that she had been running with it in her hand. She nodded, breathless.

"A'ight. Stay down. If it turns bad you run." He raised the bow and began tactically approaching the trailer. He cleared it quickly. It was musty, but empty of people and walkers. He noted a bed, small bathroom, and sink. Spartan, but it would do for the night. Beth couldn't go on much longer.

He came out and approached the barn, bow up, ready. It was empty as well, other than a dust covered '73 Dodge Charger. He whistled softly. That baby would be nice if he could get it running. He noted a small mechanic area, with tools and other items scattered around. He'd take a closer look in the morning.

He came out and waved Beth forward. She was dirty and sweat had soaked through her tank, making it virtually transparent. _Goddam, boy. Keep your eyes off her tits. That ain't gonna help get you through the night._

She threw her arms around him. They were safe. Surprised, he dropped the bow and circled her in his arms. She lifted her face and captured his mouth with hers in a hot, hard kiss. As she drew back, he reached up with his hand on the back of her head and pressed her mouth to his. _Just one more kiss._ Her mouth parted and her tongue stroked his lips. He obligingly parted them and their tongues mated. Her soft sigh jarred him. He abruptly released her.

She staggered a step and he reached out automatically to steady her. "Ok. We're ok. Trailer'll have to do for tonight. I'm gonna see if I can get us some meat. Didn't look like much in there in the way of food. Ain't goin' far. Stay in the trailer." He crossed over into the woods.

_What the hell just happened? He kissed her and was liking it. _That much she could tell. _How did he manage to flip that switch? _She smiled to herself. Of course, they were spending another night in close quarters. Something to look forward to. She entered the trailer.

Daryl quickly got a squirrel and a small dove. He had set a couple of snares where he saw the tracks of small game and would check them in the morning. His mouth watered at the thought of fresh rabbit for breakfast.

He stopped near a large flat rock by the trailer. He skinned and gutted the squirrel, carefully setting aside the brains. He smirked. He didn't figure Beth would care for it, but he'd seen a pan and he was going to scramble them. He plucked, gutted and trimmed the bird. That'd have to do.

He walked over to the trailer and noted a small pile of firewood and kindling, a fire already laid and the bedclothes were thrown over a small bush, airing in the sunset. He opened the door and was shocked at the transformation. Somehow, she had found a broom and a piece of cloth and had dusted off most of the surfaces. It wasn't clean, but it was a vast improvement. A small bowl of berries sat on the table, and plates, silverware and napkins were set out like a real dining room. Beth turned and smiled at him.

"Hey. I found a barrel collecting rainwater and figured it was ok for bathing. I gotta pan of it ready for boiling so we can drink it later. I left the soap out if you wanna wash up before we eat."

She had surprised him. He couldn't have been longer than an hour and a half.

He went out and started the fire and walked around the barn as he saw her coming out with the pan of water to set over the fire.

He quickly bathed and returned. He wasn't much of a cook, but he could damn sure cook game over a fire to rival even the best chef. Beth was walking back from the wood line, her shirt gathered up and a pile of dandelion greens tucked into it. "There's some vinegar and a little oil left in the trailer, so I was gonna put together a little salad."

_Dang he looked good. _His hair was clean, but wet. His skin was still shiny with wetness and he smelled of soap. His shirt was open, revealing a taut chest and abs. A trail of damp hair led from his belly button down into the front of his jeans. Her mouth went dry.

He watched her looking at him. _Could see right through the girl. Lust. That's what he could see._ His cock sprang to life, ready to oblige. He turned deliberately and walked over to the fire. She had laid out a frying pan and the small bottle of oil. The second pan of water was simmering over the fire. She had cooled the other down and had already rinsed the greens and berries. She went into the trailer to finish up.

He made short work of scrambling the brains and spit-roasting the squirrel and dove. She came out and helped him gather up the food and the other pan of water. She set the food down, put the pan on the counter and then went back out. She returned momentarily with a small, squat candle that she had lit in the flames. He scowled as she placed it on the saucer in the center of the small table.

_Goddam. Looks like some fancy restaurant. _He narrowed his eyes at her. _Is that how she planned it?_

Her face was blank. Inwardly she struggled to maintain her composure. He was not happy. Oh she had indeed set the stage. She knew what a romantic meal looked like and dangit if she was going to never try for it even if it was the zombie apocalypse. And if one thing led to another, well, by God, that was just fine with her.

She poured the wine she had found. It smelled ok to her and whoever had lived here was long gone. She didn't figure they would mind.

She sat down and looked inquiringly at him. He watched her as though she was a snake ready to strike. He sat down and warily picked up his napkin. _I guess I gotta try to remember how to eat like a person. Not some animal on the run._

"Here's to us, Daryl." She held her glass out to him. He had no real choice but to clank glasses but didn't take a sip.

She took a gulp and choked. "God, this is terrible! The moonshine was way better." She shoved her glass toward him.

"Never cared much for wine." Not since he saw his mama drown herself in it. "But I did find this." He pulled out a mason jar full of moonshine. The car wasn't the only treasure in that barn.

She grabbed two more glasses and he poured. She grinned at him as she took another gulp. They devoured every morsel of food.

Before she could make a move, Daryl had scooped up the dishes. She had put the bedclothes back on the bed while he grilled, careful not to leave them long enough for the damp of dusk to set in.

She tilted the moonshine bottle over her glass, eventually holding it upside down shaking the last few drops in her glass. Her eyes were a little glassy and she had a pleasant fuzziness to her thinking. She leered at his tight backside rinsing the dishes in the sink.

"Got anymore moonshine?" She was proud that her speech didn't sound very slurred.

"Nope." Well, none for tonight. There was a still-full out in the barn, but he didn't think either of them needed more. He was hoping she had just enough to make her fall asleep quickly. The night was going to be long enough without her awake and wriggling against him.

"You gotta nice butt."

He started. _Shit._ _Maybe too much. _He ignored her.

"Nice and tight." She patted it. He jumped. The laughter bubbled out of her. She waved a hand at him. "Good gravy, Daryl. I'm sure I'm not the first woman to notice." She leered at him.

He turned back and finished the dishes. She sat trying to remember how it was she thought she was going to seduce him. _Pattin' his ass shore don't work._

She yawned and let her eyes close, trying to remember.

Using the rope he had in his pack, he secured the door. Wasn't going to be anyone or anything coming through that knot. He made sure the crossbow and pistol were in reach of the bed.

He laid back the covers and turned back to her, lifting her gently into his arms and laying her in the bed. He carefully removed her shoes. She was snoring softly. He tucked the covers under her chin.

Tenderness was a foreign emotion. He didn't know what to call this, this…feeling. But he looked at her and felt like his heart was clenched in a fist. _Won't do to start carin' about her. Could both be eaten by zombies tomorrow. Can't let yourself need someone. _He climbed in the bed and turned his back to her. He decided to ignore the fear that it was too late for him, that he already cared. Because that wouldn't do.


	5. Chapter 5

Love on the Run

Chapter 5

Hours later, Beth woke up. In the moonlight through the small, high windows, she could see Daryl's face, peaceful in sleep. They had somehow tangled legs and her head was against his chest. His arm was thrown over her. His chest was bare, the skin stretched over the muscle. She stroked her hand lightly down his chest. God, she had never felt muscles like that. She leaned forward and kissed over the area of his heart. His arm tightened over her waist, and he sighed in sleep. Emboldened, she traced her lips across his pec, and flicked her tongue over his nipple. His eyes opened, instantly awake.

She pressed her hand across his mouth. "Don't try to stop me, Daryl Dixon. I'm a grown woman. I'm awake and sober. I want this and you're not stopping me with nonsense about how I'm too young."

She removed her hand. "Girl, you're only eighteen years old. I'm thirty-four, almost twice as old as you."

She met his eyes, hers fierce in the moonlight. "I may be as old as I'm ever gonna get. None of us are promised tomorrow." Her eyes were pleading.

He could see the determination in his eyes. And goddammit, he couldn't fight both of them. His eyes stayed on hers. "You sure you want this?"

She pulled his hand up and laid it over her breast. Her mouth tilted to his and she breathed out, "Yes."

He was lost. Lost in her and lost in the need to please her. He knew lots of ways of pleasing women and while it might be wrong, he needed this.

His mouth took hers, plundering her sweetness. His tongue invaded her mouth, leaving her mindless at the onslaught. Her center liquified with want. His hand kneaded her breast, gently, but with urgency. His other hand worked busily between them, working her shirt and bra up, baring her skin to him. He broke off the kiss and pulled the shirt and bra completely off, returning to seduce her with another kiss.

She was consumed by want. He shifted, easily lifting her to lay her on her back, laying on his side beside her. He ravished her mouth as he unbuckled her jeans, and she lifted her hips to help him sweep them and her panties off, leaving her naked. He leaned his head back, eyes on hers. She was bathed in moonlight, the illumination more than enough to allow him to plainly see her body. She felt the blush working up her entire torso, embarrassment warring with the desire she felt for him. She started to pull the sheet up, but he caught her hands and trapped them over her head.

"No, baby." His voice was ragged with lust. "Don't hide that body from me."

Her breath caught in her throat. His eye traced down her neck and over her breasts, the approval plain on his face. His gaze drifted over the slight swell of her abdomen and then down to her toes. She felt it linger at the apex of her thighs, and felt the wetness pooling between her legs. His eyes returned to hers. "You are so beautiful."

His lips returned to hers, stoking the flames with another hot kiss, but then his lips began languidly tracing her jaw and down her neck. His tongue bathed the pulse at the bottom of her throat, causing her to moan. His mouth continued it's exploration of her, stopping just short of each breast, causing her to groan in frustration. He smiled against her skin and circled her left nipple, using his tongue to flick it into erection. She gasped and felt like a current ran between her nipple and her center, tightening her entirety to where she felt she was going to burst into flames. As her back arched, craving more contact with his mouth, he captured her nipple in his mouth, gently holding it between his teeth and sucking. She cried out, almost unable to bear so much sensation. He released her nipple and moved to the other breast, gently kissing each bruise as he she almost came undone. As he moved his tongue to her nipple her eyes rolled back in her head. She moaned and bit her lip. He dragged his nought back to her mouth, demanding more from her. His free hand stroked her abdomen as they kissed and her stomach fluttered. She parted her legs without conscious thought, opening herself to his exploration. He smiled against her lips and his fingers dipped down to her wet slit, lingering on the nub of sensation and rubbing it gently. She whimpered, overwhelmed by pleasure, her legs moving of their own volition in invitation.

He had returned to her breasts, suckling at each in turn, continuing to move his clever fingers against her. Her hips began to press against his hand, seeking more. "Please. Please, Daryl."

His mouth continued its leisurely journey, pausing to nip at her hip and to scrape his teeth low on her belly. He released her hands and they cradled his head against her. She was wild with need. She needed…needed…

She cried out as his mouth replaced his fingers, capturing the nub of sensation in his teeth, sucking gently. His tongue caressed her, dipping into her core as his thumb resumed it's rubbing. He slipped a finger gently into her, groaning at the slick, tight opening. Her hips ground against him and she felt the waves of pleasure crash over and through her, screaming out his name. "Oh, God, Daryl—yes!"

He pressed gentle kisses on her inner thigh, allowing her a moment to breathe. Then he moved up her body again, taking her mouth in his, swallowing her sighs. He drew back his head and whispered to her, "That's enough for tonight. Go to sleep, baby."

She didn't want to, but felt herself drifting into exhausted slumber against him.

He laid there awake. This was going to complicate things.


	6. Chapter 6

Love on the Run

Chapter 6

Daryl finished what he figured was the final adjustment. He'd already popped the steering column and the necessary wires were dangling loose. Beth came into the barn, hair in a ponytail. He met her eyes in the gloom. She flushed, and averted her gaze, suddenly shy.

"G'morning." Her voice felt rusty. _What the heck do people say the morning after they__'__ve done __… __well, THAT. _Her stomach turned somersaults remembering, heat coursing through her center.

"Lookout." Dammit. Didn't usually have to worry about mornings after. Usually either he left or the woman did. _Shit, she had damn near seduced him. He__'__d fought his own urges to make her come and now I got blue balls and a woman acting like, well, A WOMAN. _

He clambered in and struck the starter wire to the battery. Second strike and the engine roared to life. _That__'__ll work._

She was still standing there when he got out. "You fixed the car?" _A man that could fix a car was kinda hot. Well, considering who it was, even hotter._

He detached the wires and the car died. "After breakfast, we'll load up. Gonna try to find something more permanent." _And maybe find some of the others._

_ There__'__d be time to talk about__…__stuff, later. _"Saw the rabbit. Doesn't seem fair for you to have to hunt and clean. Maybe you could teach me how."

He tousled her hair. "Maybe."

She ignored the brotherly gesture and on tiptoes kissed him softly on the mouth. He looked surprised and pleased but shuttered quickly shuttered his face. _Stupid redneck_. "C'mon."

After they had finished the meal, they loaded up their supplies, scavenging the trailer and barn for anything that might be of use. Daryl stowed the last of the tools in the trunk.

"What about gas?"

"Gotta full tank and another can full. Should be enough to get us to where we can scavenge from cars or a gas station on the way."

"The way where?"

"Wherever we're goin'."

_That__'__ll have to be enough,_ he thought.

They climbed in and drove out of the barn and into the light.

Todd studied the topographic map, noting the areas where he figured Daryl would have headed. There were three likely areas. He'd dispatched teams of two to each of them. He and Dan had stayed at the HQ they set up at the abandoned mental hospital. Well, it was abandoned when they shot and burned the few families living there. The goddam kids and women had wailed from the time the shooting started till the last one was dead. Hurt his fucking ears.

"Daryl coulda' gotten wheels."

_Jesus, Danny just couldn__'__t keep his mouth shut. _"From where, asshole? Found one stashed in a tree somewhere?"

"Just sayin'. Map don't show cars, now does it?"

"This is why you'll never be in charge, dumbass." Enraged he threw the empty beer bottle against the wall shattering it. "So you think that the fuckin' car fairy showed up in the middle of nowhere, with a runnin' motor and just dropped that in the lap of Daryl fuckin' Dixon? Trash like him ain't got luck like that. Shit, you knew Merle at all you'd know those mean sumbitches ain't got nothin' good happenin' for them. Less they steal it from someone else."

Todd had been drinking beer and whiskey since sun-up. When he was drunk he was crazier than he was when he was sober, and he was pretty sure that he was bat-shit to start with. _Fuck it. Whatever. _"I'm gonna go check the weapons."

There was a map in the glove box. When they stopped, Daryl showed her the grid he had drawn in every direction of the prison. He was assuming that they would have stayed within ten miles of it, and tried to go parallel to find other survivors. _Throwin__' __a dart in the goddam dark, but it was as good an idea as any._

Beth nodded her agreement. "So, we're here, tryin' to get back this way? Then what?"

"Gonna stick to the road. Not many water sources farther in around there, and figure they'd rather stay on the road to make better time or just figurin' that's what the others would do. Better visibility anyway."

Made as much sense as anything she could think of. Now if she could just make sense of where they stood. He hadn't acknowledged what had happened. She just didn't know how to bring it up. But it looked like she'd have to figure out how to do just that. "You can't put the genie back in the bottle, Daryl Dixon."

"What're you talkin' about, girl?"

"You know after last night I'm not a girl, Daryl. I'm a woman. You're a man. I know how things work." She swallowed. "I know that there's more to what you can do than what we did." _God she sounded like an idiot._ "I'm intendin' to have intercourse with you, Daryl. To make love with you. To f—"

He crushed his mouth to hers. Hadn't been his plan, but her words were doing inconvenient things to his anatomy. Her response was instantaneous and hot and sweet. The heat seared between them, igniting both of them. His hands flashed down, ripped the shirt out of her waistband and streaked up to caress her breasts. He pinched her nipples gently between calloused fingers, drawing a moan from the back of her throat. She fought the drag the sensation caused to her thinking and moved her hands from his waist to squeeze his butt, pulling him into her.

He felt himself throb against her, the demand apparent. He tried to pull back but her response was to trace a hand around to his front, rubbing his cock through the denim. His breath hissed out and he caught her hand against him, stilling it.

Her eyes opened halfway. "Don't you want me, Daryl? I may be new to this but I know that what we did last night didn't do to you what it did to me." Her voice was throaty. And, goddamit, womanly. He groaned, releasing her hand and reaching up to hold her face.

She smiled, thrilling to her power, and plundered his mouth with her tongue. She reached between them and unbuttoned his belt buckle, carefully lowering the zipper. She moved to her knees, and simultaneously lowered his boxers and pants, freeing him. His erect cock sprang forward and she was surprised by its … insistence. She glanced at his face, flushed with passion, eyes filled with desire. She smiled fiercely. "It's your turn, baby." And she pressed a tentative kiss to him.

He gritted his teeth as he moaned with pleasure. _Long time, LONG time since a woman pleasured him. Goddam it felt good._

Encouraged she slid her tongue the length of him and his body bucked. _Oh yeah, he likes that. _She opened her mouth, taking him into her mouth.

_Sweet baby Jesus, he wasn__'__t going to survive this. _That hot mouth closing over him, enveloping him in its heat, wet friction making him crazy. She stroked him with her tongue as her mouth withdrew. "Oh, baby, that feels good!"

She opened her mouth again, drawing him more deeply into her mouth and wriggled her tongue on the satiny flesh. He fought the urge to move, to allow her to set the pace. Her moan of pleasure caught him off guard, toying with his restraint. He gently held her face, pumping gently into her mouth. She eagerly captured what he offered, her fingernails now digging lightly into the top of his thighs and gently scratching toward his center.

His voice was thick. "Beth, baby, yes. Yes." _So very good. So very fucking good. _

She worked him with her mouth, using his reaction as her guide. She wanted him. And as he came undone in her, she was almost unbearably aroused. He pulled her face from him. "I'm gonna come."

She smiled. "That's the idea." And she took him in her mouth to the hilt. He exploded and she greedily drank from him, exulting in the knowledge that she, Beth Greene, had given him release.

Her mouth stilled and she gently kissed him. He helped her stand, steadying her against him. She kissed him, a smile firming her lips. "We'd better go." And she released him and climbed in the car.

He looked off in the distance, dumbfounded. Innocent young Beth had just showed Daryl a thing or two about pleasure. And generosity. Where did that leave them? _Fuck if I know._ He climbed in and they drove.


	7. Chapter 7

Love on the Run

Chapter 7

The last of the two-man teams noisily re-entered HQ. Todd was at the table, a glass with three fingers of whiskey in it and a map spread out.

"I told you, Todd. We didn't find shit to track them with. We followed the creek and east for about seven miles. Not one fucking broken twig."

Disgusted, Todd gulped down the glass. "So not one of you geniuses has anything to report." Silence greeted the question. They knew what Todd was like when he was drunk and pissed off. "He didn't fucking disappear. Goddam, that girl don't know shit about the woods. Y'all tryin' to tell me you couldn't find nothin'?" The speech was slurred but laced with fury.

"Shit, Todd, Daryl was helpin' her. Didn't find nothin." Jim stole a glance at Todd and froze when he saw the man staring back at him, eyes cold.

Todd stood, grabbing the bottle and swung it viciously. Jim didn't have time to react before the bottle hit his head with a sickening thud and he fell to the floor, bleeding from the gash left by the bottle's impact. "Any of the rest of you want to tell me anything." No one said a word as they shuffled out of the room.

Daryl dropped the last bag on the floor. They had driven into the outskirts of the town and decided to spend the night in a storage shed. Daryl had parked about a block away, just in case something or someone other than walkers were in the area. Beth was smoothing the last of the wrinkles from the pallet she had made with clothes and one of the blankets. Daryl secured the door.

"Should be comfy enough. I brought the rest of the rabbit if you're hungry." She kept her voice light.

"A'ight." _Tight space. Shit. SHIT. Don't think of anything tight. _

She glanced up and was perplexed by the irritation in his face. "There're some berries left if you don't want rabbit."

He grabbed both from the bag and divided them evenly on the cloths she had set out. He handed her one kerchief with a grunt of acknowledgment.

"Thanks." Her smile was ignored. She felt the first stirrings of irritation. _God what is it with this guy? One minute it's all "baby, yes," and the next he can't even say "here." _

They ate in silence. He tried not to look at her mouth. _That mouth. That very clever mouth…fuck. This is gonna be a long night._

He opened the small window and tossed out the bones. He held out his hand for hers and she handed it to him. He turned off the flashlight.

"Best get some sleep. I'll take first watch." He turned his back and settled in, crossbow and bolts within arms reach. His vision was suddenly obscured by cloth. He ripped it off his head and realized it was her shirt. _What the fuck is she doin'? _

Her jeans landed beside him. _Sweet baby Jesus. _His mouth was dry. In short order her bra and panties followed. He tried to block out the vision of her from the night before of her naked in the moonlight.

"You comin' to bed?" She settled back on the pallet in what she hoped was a seductive pose.

Daryl didn't turn his head. "Somebody's gotta keep watch." His speech sounded rusty.

"The door's tied shut and nothin' can fit through that window, Daryl. You covered our tracks. Should be safe for the night." She reached up and stroked her hand down the coiled muscles of his arm. _He's all tense. Just need to help him relax. _She kneeled behind him and began massaging his shoulders.

Daryl stayed frozen under her ministrations. He tried to think of a time when a woman had touched him like that, just rubbing his shoulders. _Zero._ Her hands moved around and unbuttoned the buttons of his shirt and pulled it off his shoulders and down his arms. She returned to massaging his shoulders and arms. _Damn that feels good. _

Beth was horrified by the scarring that littered his back. Looked like cigarette burns and marks from a belt or strap. Who could have treated a little boy like that? Her heart ached for him. She leaned down and gently kissed one of the scars. Daryl tensed and reached for his shirt.

"No. Let me," she breathed. Her lips moved on his back kissing each scar, lips soft and undemanding.

He'd been ashamed. Ashamed that she saw. Saw him and the upbringing he had and now she knew all about him. But as her gentle kisses rained upon him, he felt comforted. She reached around him hugging herself to him fiercely, tears burning her eyes. "No one should have done that to you."

He didn't say anything, just put his hands on her arms around him. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither feeling anything else needed to be said. Her need to comfort him swelled within her. She was suddenly aware that she was pressed up against him, naked skin to naked skin, breasts flattened against his battle-scarred skin. She exhaled shakily. Leaving her arms wrapped around him, she moved enough to leave just her nipples in contact with him. She brushed against his skin and gasped as her nipples tightened to distended points. She rubbed against him, harder, craving that contact. Heat roared through her blood, pooling at her center in liquid desire.

His breathing was labored. _Goddam what she did to him. _His cock hardened instantly, throbbing with need. "Beth…"

She put her hand over his mouth. "Shhhh." She wound around him until she was half lying in his lap. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight. She pulled his face toward hers, lips parting.

_So beautiful. _He couldn't stop himself. His mouth took hers, lips gentle and the kiss soothing them both, then hardening with need. He plundered her mouth, their tongues dueling. His rough hands slid up to cup her breasts, rubbing his thumb over her nipples, eliciting a throaty moan. Her back arched up and he captured one nipple in his mouth. He sucked it and then the other in turn. He then kissed her again, fingers working the wet nipples until she cried out, so close to climax that she was quivering helplessly in his arms. His eyes met her as he leaned in for another heady kiss.

His right hand trailed down her belly and her legs parted of their own volition. He stroked her inner thighs and her hips restlessly began tracking his hand. "Please," she breathed. His hand traced closer to her center, finally cupping her. The palm of his hand rubbed her most sensitive nub and she exploded in orgasm, writhing in his arms as he captured her cries with his mouth.

She grabbed his hand as he tried to withdraw it, pressing it to her. "More," she demanded and caught his mouth with hers, her tongue enticing him to enter hers. He was lost in her passion.

His hand stroked, rebuilding the searing heat of desire. She ground her hips against his hand, driving him mad with need. He shifted to lay beside her, mouth hot on her neck. He made his way toward her breasts his tongue laving her soft skin. He worshipped each breast in turn with his mouth before trailing toward her hip. His teeth grazed the tender flesh and she inhaled sharply, goosebumps rising across her delicate skin. He smiled against her as he worked his way to her center, licking and sucking until she was mindless with need.

She tugged his hair, urging his mouth back to hers. As their mouths mated again, she reached between them to undo his pants, quickly tugging them down. He raised his hips to help her remove them, groaning with pleasure as her hand captured and stroked his hard length.

"More, I need more. Daryl." Her voice was raw with need, her eyes locked on his. "I need you, Daryl." He couldn't deny her.

He took her mouth again and continued to stroke her with his hand. He slipped a finger into her hot wetness. Her hips continued to match his lead, seeking more from him. He worked a second finger into her, gently stretching. She writhed, now poised on the raw edge of of another orgasm. She reached for him, her eyes beseeching. "Now." Her voice was urgent.

He lifted himself over her and paused until her eyes focused on him. "Now," he whispered. He pressed his cock entering her by millimeters, carefully watching her face. When he was stopped by the thin membrane, he warned, "Gonna hurt for a second, but then it will feel real good."

Her face was filled with trust and lust. He kissed her as he moved, working his way until he filled her completely. "You ok, baby?"

"Yes," she breathed. The fullness was pleasant. "It doesn't hurt anymore. Please."

He began to move, slowly at first, but then picking up speed. The friction was beyond pleasurable. She began to move her hips and he quickly adapted his rhythm to hers. They urged one another with hands and lips and teeth until the orgasm slammed into her, its force taking her breath away, dragging Daryl over the edge with her as the waves of pleasure engulfed them both.

He laid on her, most of his weight on his elbows until their hearts stopped racing. He tilted his head back to look at hers, and she shot him a feline smile of pleasure. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, lips gentle, and then kissed her on the nose as he rolled onto his side, turning her with him so that she was intimately fitted to him.

They lay quietly in the darkness, until her breathing evened in sleep. He continued to hold her, reluctant to end the contact. He'd never spent the night with a woman he'd been with before Beth. The only thing he was sure of was he didn't want to leave her and wanted her to stay. He fell into dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Love on the Run

Chapter 8

He slid his mouth lazily around her nipple, licking and sucking, listening to her sleepy moans that intensified with each circle. He licked his way to her other breast, sucking and licking until her back arched, seeking even more contact with his hot mouth. His mouth drifted down her belly drawing a gasp from her lips as her legs restlessly parted, seeking his touch. He reached her center, tongue tracing the delicate slit, and then pressing in rhythmically, only drawing out to press against the small bud of sensitive nerves at the apex of her mound.

Soaked with pleasure, she was awakened by her own moan as the first waves of orgasm encased her, Daryl's mouth plundering her depths. She reached down, gripping his hair in her hands. _Oh, God! _Her body raced to keep up with the demands of his greedy, clever tongue, spiraling up and then over into another intense orgasm. "Daryl, now!" Her voice was hoarse from sleep and pleasure.

He streaked up her body and slowly filled her with need of his own. As their mouths mated, tongues entwined, their bodies moved against one another finding an easy rhythm. Daryl let her set the pace, which increased. He loved the noises she made in the back of her throat, which he captured with his mouth. He could feel her body tighten like a bow, knowing she was reaching her point of release. As she let go, flying headlong into another orgasm, he grasped her hips, continuing his assault of pleasure so that she took all that she could from him. With a groan of triumph, he followed her.

Minutes later, she lifted her head from his chest to look at him. Her hair was tousled from sleep and exertion, her cheeks pink and a faint sheen of sweat made her face glow in the pale sunlight. Her eyes met his, filled with trust and emotion, while a smile filled with a woman's knowledge played at the corner's of her mouth. He was so overwhelmed by her beauty and the depths of the emotion he saw on her face, he found himself unable to speak.

"Cat got your tongue?" She was teasing him, her voice light and saucy. The playful smile became a grin. "I would hate that, "cause that tongue is magic to me."

He grinned back. "Magic, huh?"

"Definitely. I'll need that back, for sure." She leaned forward kissing him vigorously, pouring all of her knowledge into it. "Found it."

He laughed. "A'ight, girl. Time to get up. We gotta lot to do today."

"One more minute," she breathed and captured him in her hand. He was instantly hard. "Maybe two," she said wickedly, stroking his length. And he let himself be lost in her again.

They dressed and packed up their supplies. Daryl peered out the window, scanning the surroundings. "Ready?"

"Yeah." She picked up her pack and waited for him to open the door. He kept the bow in his hand as he stepped out, quickly clearing the area they were. they made their way silently down the block, climbing into the car. There were a couple of walkers further down the street, so she followed his lead, closing the door with a soft snick. The walkers didn't turn until the car roared to life and drove off. A man inside a window on the second floor of the building they had been parked in front of quietly called out on his radio. He knew the men that had come through town the day before. They were ruthless and he was afraid of them. The quarry had been spotted.

Todd and his teams organized quickly heading out in teams to cover the various avenues of travel, and designating a choke-point to drive them into for capture. "Whoever brings me Daryl gets to have the woman the first night. And extra ammo for his personal use. If you fail, the best you can hope for is to be out on your ass. Assuming I don't kill you." He smiled without humor. "Don't fuck this up." The men loaded into vehicles. Failure was not an option. And the woman was a looker. Nice bonus.

Daryl felt uneasy. He couldn't point to anything in particular but he had learned to listen to his instincts. When he was hunting he was just as much an animal as any other in the forest, and instinct had served him well. He slowed and pulled into a small dirt opening as far as he could. "What're we stoppin' for?"

"Gonna' see what we can find to eat. Didn't have much for breakfast and your stomach growlin' is distractin' me." He smiled. No sense in alarming her when he couldn't say for sure there was anything wrong.

He got out of the car and began moving foliage to disguise the opening he had driven into and to conceal the car. Beth's eyebrows raised in curiosity, but without a word she began helping him to gather branches. That job complete, he began walking into the woods, feet silent, but with speed. He felt the urgent need to put distance between them and the road.

Beth was almost trotting to keep up. She felt fear bubbling up in her. She didn't know why they were running, but they were. She kept behind him, her hand on her gun. Daryl continued the long, silent strides about three quarters of a mile into the woods. They approached an area of particularly thick brush and Daryl motioned for her to wait. She nervously waited, tamping down the nerves that continued to rise. After Daryl had insured the area inside the thick wall was secure, he quietly called her in, holding branches back so she could climb in behind him. Once she was in, she released a shaky breath. "What is it?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

He shook his head. "Dunno. Just gotta bad feelin's all."

They settled in. Along the way he had bent a few times, gathering berries and some pecans. He laid the meager lunch between them and continued to scan the woods around them. Neither ate.

They heard the rapport of a gunshot in the direction of the car. Beth muffled the cry she had started to let escape. Her eyes were burning with tears of fear. Daryl reached out and gently rubbed her arm, comforting her. The car had been found. Daryl's mouth tightened. They were being hunted, again.


	9. Chapter 9

Love on the Run

Chapter 9

"Found the car. Must've headed into the woods." Todd spat. _Sonofabitch. That bastard must have caught on that they were on the trail. Fuck. Finding Dixon in the woods was like looking for a needle in a haystack._

"Gonna be hard to find. It's after noon. Won't have the light for long." Ed continued to circle around the vehicle looking for tracks. He slowed, looking carefully. _Oh, yeah. Woman's shoe, headed north. Gotcha. _He whistled for attention and signaled north. There would be no more talking. Never was when they were hunting. The moved into formation and began their pursuit.

Daryl remembered there was a small cabin about a mile north of where they were. It had thick log walls and a small basement in the back. If he could get Beth there, he felt like he could work the perimeter, keep her out of the action and keep her safe. He leaned toward her ear. "Need you in the front, girl. Got a cabin about a mile up where we can set a trap. Try to avoid stepping on sticks or breaking any branches. Keep an eye out for walkers, but if you see one, don't shoot it. No need to make any noise. I'll handle it." He motioned for her to precede him. She paused a moment to look at him, eyes wild with fear. He leaned forward and gave her a hard kiss. "Go on, girl. Gonna be fine." His voice was rough. _Jesus, he hoped he was right._

She exhaled and carefully moved forward. Daryl was behind her with a small branch, sweeping away all trace of their shoe prints. They rushed forward.

Twenty minutes later, the teams approached the area of heavier coverage. With hand signals, they flanked the small area of cover then converged, guns drawn and cocked. "Clear." Calls began and completed the circle. Mitch, the best tracker they had, quickly zeroed in on where they had sat, lunch between them. He pointed it out to the others and then began trying to ascertain where the pair had moved out.

After about ten minutes of fruitless searching, Mitch shrugged. No trace. Todd was immediately enraged. "Y'all can't find no sign of one goddam guy and one goddam girl?" He tore at his hair. "Jesus, you incompetent motherfuckers! Oughta' put you all out on your asses and be done with it. Can't find your ass if it was a hole in the ground."

They silently listened to the curses. No one looked at him. If you looked, you drew attention, and if you drew attention, that crazy sonofabitch might shoot you. Todd gradually ran out of steam. "Ok. This is what we're gonna do. Each team of two is gonna take a direction. If you find that miserable piece of shit, then you signal the others. Radio if we got signal, two shots if not. Get out of my sight, you worthless, fucking pieces of shit." They broke off and went into the woods.

Daryl had descended into the root cellar. It was small, but Beth could easily fit into the space. She had decent cover if she had to fight and a small trapdoor allowed her an escape route into the cabin. He hoped like hell she wouldn't need it. "Come on, baby. Get in. Lemme' see your gun." He checked to insure one was in the chamber and checked the clip. "You got fourteen shots. Don't shoot unless you have to—the noise could attract others. You got a knife. If they come this way, I'm gonna clear as many out before they get to you as I can."

Her eyes swam with tears. One spilled onto her cheek, trailing silently. He brushed it away with his thumb and kissed her fiercely. "Gotta' be brave, girl. We're gonna' be ok."

She hoped he was being truthful. She dragged his lips back to hers, drawing strength from him and giving him strength. "I know." She was lying. She didn't know. And she was scared. But they had no choice.

He drew back and climbed out, closing the doors. He had given her an iron bar to wedge in the handles. He heard it scrape into place. He covered the doors with grass and branches hoping that the cover was enough. And he set off stealthily into the tree line. He set tripwires and snares as quickly as he could, rendering the perimeter dangerous to his foes. He figured he had fifteen minutes, tops, to finish before the first pursuers could be on them. He was goddamn well going to be ready for them. He climbed a tree to catch a farther look and caught the flash of movement a half mile out. Two man team with assault rifles. _Fuck. _He quickly scanned around. They were the only two in sight. They were traveling about 20 yards on an angle, staggered with one slightly forward. His best bet was to flank them and take out the back man. If he was quick about it, he had a shot at getting the lead without detection. If not, well. He knew there were others. _Better be quick._

Beth crouched in the dark, heart still pounding in her ears. She strained to hear anything from outside, to know that Daryl was ok. Nothing pierced the gloom. She waited. _Please, God. Let him be safe._

The leader of Bravo team, Frank, skirted closer to what he knew was a clearing. Could be a shack or something Dixon and the girl had holed up in. He didn't want to radio until he was sure he had them cornered. Todd was already on the edge. There was a faint rustling behind him. _Goddammit, Ed. Send up a smoke signal why don't'cha. _He continued to move forward, completely unaware that Ed was now dead, throat slit by Daryl, who had now taken the flank position wearing Ed's helmet and goggles. They continued to move on the cabin.

Close to the edge of the tree line, Frank stopped, holding up his hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ed drift behind a bush for cover. Frank watched the cabin for any sign of life or movement. He began to move forward with a low whistle for Ed to follow. His boot hit the tripwire and he was jerked up with his leg caught in the snare. He fired his gun once before the bolt burst through his cranium and the gun fell uselessly to the ground. Daryl retrieved the bolt grimly. One shot might be enough. There would be more.

Beth heard the shot and it sent her blood roiling, fear tasting metallic in her mouth. What if Daryl were hurt—or worse, dead? She fought the urge to panic, to run out and look. He told her to wait. She had to do what he asked. It was the only hope they had. _Please, please, let Daryl be ok. Let him be alive. Keep him safe. _She couldn't bear the alternative.

Todd and the other teams heard the shot. _Fuck, couldn't these assholes even get the signal right? _He knew they wouldn't shoot Dixon. He had plans for Dixon. He had all the tools he needed to exact his revenge for Merle's betrayal laid out. He had thought for years how he would do it, what parts of Daryl he would injure or remove first. It would take hours, glorious days even, to finish him. He had a camera saved to document it, so that when he found Merle, that miserable sack of shit, he could show him how his brother had paid with blood, skin and tears for every dollar Merle had stolen from him.

He and the other teams moved silently toward the sound of the shot. Daryl ran into the woods, away from the cabin, intent on intercepting the pursuers. He didn't want them anywhere near Beth.

They moved silently in formation like lines on a grid. Some hung back, tactically keeping the rear line clear. They should be getting close. Daryl had made them, counted seven at this point. He had chosen a high line of a slope running parallel to the line. They were fifty yards from the cabin. He was going to have to engage soon, or they would be too close to Beth for his comfort. He loped ahead and got behind a fallen tree, a break offering a sight line and a muzzle rest. _Like shooting ducks. Well, armed ducks. _A grim smile crossed his face as he squeezed the trigger, taking down the first man quickly followed by the next. Five more targets, though they had scattered and he was now drawing fire. He scanned them carefully watching for an opening and keeping his head down.

Beth heard the firefight and leaped to her feet. Sounded like Daryl was coming under fire. She agonized a few seconds over whether she should leave the shelter or wait. It was no choice at all. She couldn't sit there while Daryl risked his life for her. The gunfire was going to draw out walkers. There was no choice at all. She ran to the ladder and climbed out of the cellar. She held the gun steady and ran toward the fight.


	10. Chapter 10

Love on the Run

Chapter 10

**I really appreciate those that have taken time to review. I am new to writing and would like to improve. Any thoughts, suggestions, criticisms and praise are appreciated. Thanks in advance for those that have the time and inclination to provide feedback. Hope you are enjoying my story.**

Beth was trying to move quickly but quietly, like Daryl did. But as she got closer to the gunfire, she got nervous, her gaze darting around her surroundings. Her foot hit a wire and she screamed as she was jerked up by her left leg She was caught in one of the snares set by Daryl. The gun fell to the forest floor, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wild with terror. Now she was of no help to Daryl and was easy pickings for either the men who were chasing them.

Daryl's head jerked up sharply. That was Beth. He leapt to his feet and began to sprint in her direction, shooting two more men as he ran. He felt the bullets whizzing by him as he ran. He dove behind a large rock and checked the clip. He had four bullets left. Needed to make them count. He leaned around the rock. His pursuers had also taken cover. One of them leaned out from around the tree he was hiding behind and Daryl squeezed the trigger. The man fell. Two more to find. Time slowed as it always did when he was moving in for the kill. He heard his breathing and the sound of movement. He turned and saw the man moving toward him. When they made eye contact the man froze. The shot at one another, and the bullet grazed Daryl's shoulder. The man's head jerked back as the bullet pierced his forehead. Daryl scanned the perimeter, but couldn't wait to move any longer. Beth was in trouble.

She had her knife and was trying to raise her body high enough to cut the rope from around her ankle. She fell back, once again short of her target. She dragged in another breath and threw herself up again. Strong arms caught her as she fell back. _Thank God, Daryl._ She dropped the knife and turned, tears of relief springing into her eyes, when she saw the cold brown eyes. "Noooo!" She screamed and began to fight.

"Cut that shit out, bitch." A hard slap across her face punctuated the words.

"Fuck you!" She fought like a wildcat, scratching and biting. She raked her fingernails down his cheek, digging in deep. Blood welled in the marks and began to drip.

"You fucking cunt!" He punched her in the head, hard, knocking her unconscious.

Daryl heard them fighting. _Good girl, baby! Just a few more minutes and I__'__ll be there. _He waited until he heard a twig snap and jumped out, slicing the man's throat. Blood sprayed out on his face and his body. As he turned to find his last target, the bullet pierced his side, right above the hip. He grunted in pain and located the shooter. He raised his gun and fired twice, striking the man in the neck and then head. He gasped as he jerked off the man's t-shirt and balled it up, quickly belting it to put pressure on his gunshot wound. He ran toward where Beth was fighting her attacker.

Seconds later he found the scene. The rope dangling empty, the noose sliced free. He saw the knife and gun on the ground and quickly realized Beth had no weapons. And she'd been taken. _No, no no. Not Beth. Can__'__t lose her, too._

He scoured the scene and quickly made out the man's tracks. Big guy the marks looking like the man weighed a solid three-hundred pounds. _Unless he was carrying one hundred ten pounds._ He'd taken her.

Daryl began following the trail, instantly realizing that they led to the cabin. He had her in there. And wanted Daryl to follow. _Hang in there, baby. Gonna come for you in just a few minutes. Gonna get us both out. _He cleared his mind. Needed to have a plan and not just storm in. Tactically, he would need an advantage.

He skirted around the cabin in the dusk. He needed a distraction. He heard some rustling and moans. Daryl backtracked. In the woods about one half mile away was a small herd of walkers, about twenty. Daryl leapt in front of the leaders and made kissing noises. Then he turned and ran toward the cabin, the walkers in pursuit.

As they got close, Daryl sped up and ran up the stairs to the cabin rapping on the door sharply, then ducking and quickly darting around the corner to the back. A shot was fired through the door, inciting even more blood lust in the walkers. They crowded on the porch against the door, quickly breaking through and into the cabin. Todd fired as quickly as he could, but had to stop to reload. A walker snarled up in his face, biting his nose and lip off. He was quickly pulled down and the walkers feasted. Daryl heard his screams and the sounds of his flesh being bitten and torn. He reached through the glass he broke in the small pane near the door lock and quietly let himself in. _Where are you, baby? _

He peered around the wall into the living room. Todd was no longer recognizable. Just blood and torn flesh over bones. Daryl saw the staircase down the narrow hall. He quietly went toward it, checking each room as he passed. _Where you at? Girl, we need to go._

He went up the steps, willing each one to quietly accept his weight. The top one creaked slightly and he waited, but didn't see a crowd of walkers following. He opened the first door and was horrified to see Beth naked, tied spread eagled on the bed, her face battered and bleeding. She was blindfolded. She screamed as he approached and he clamped his hand over her mouth as gently as he could. "It's me, baby. It's Daryl. It's ok."

She began to sob as he quickly removed the blindfold and untied her hands. By the time he untied her feet, her hands covered her face as she continued to sob. He realized he was crying too as he pulled her toward him, hugging her as tightly as he dared. "I'm so sorry, baby. So sorry. He won't ever hurt you again. I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

She lifted her head from his chest. "I'm ok. He hit me, but he didn't…" She choked back a sob. "He touched me, but he told me he was going to rape me in front of you. He was waiting for you. And then he was going to kill me in front of you and then torture you to death." She took a hiccuping breath. "When I heard screaming, I was afraid it was you. That he was torturing you. I was so scared." Fresh tears poured down her cheeks.

Relief poured through his system. "We're ok, baby. We're ok." His kiss was a balm, soothing both of them. He drew back and rained tender kisses on the marks on her face. "Ok, we gotta get you dressed and get out of here. Got a herd downstairs."

As she dressed, he heard the sound of the herd beginning to come up the stairs. He jumped up and pushed a dresser in front of the closed door. That would buy them a few minutes. Beth finished dressing. "Looks like we're leaving through the window, baby. You up for that?"

She smiled at Daryl. "I'm with you."

He pried the window open and climbed out. He held out a hand, helping her through it, and steadying her on the slanted roof. They edged out to the low edge and, after insuring no walkers were at the bottom, Daryl jumped down. He held out his arms for Beth to follow. She sat down on the edge and boosted herself off. Daryl caught her in strong arms, letting her length slide down his body. He indulged himself for a moment, embracing her, grateful they were alive and together.

"Ready, baby? Time to run." She took his hand and they ran into the darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Love on the Run

Chapter 11

**Well this is the end. Any thoughts, suggestions, criticisms and praise are appreciated. Thanks in advance for those that have the time and inclination to provide feedback. Hope you have enjoyed my story.**

Beth smiled to herself and she slid under the covers, trailing tongue and teeth across the muscles of his chest. She traced her tongue around his nipples and heard him suck in a sharp breath. His heart pounded against his chest by her cheek. She scraped her teeth gently as she slid down his abs and belly, gradually reaching his already rock hard length. She licked its length, her tongue wriggling and exploring every line.

"Jesus, you're killin' me, girl." His voice was hoarse.

"Just figured it was time for you to get up." She took all of him into her mouth and sucked. "Looks like I was right." She returned to her task, alternately licking and sucking as his groans increased in intensity.

"C'mere, girl." She shot up ready to ride him. She was wet and shaking with arousal. He smiled. "I didn't say stop, now did I?" Like lightning he looped an arm around her hips pulling her hips over his face, and immediately probing her wet depths with his tongue. The moan was torn from her as she leaned down and resumed her ministrations with her mouth to his hard cock.

His tongue and fingers quickly stoked the fire within her until she exploded in orgasm, screaming his name and grinding her hips against him. He quickly shifted her and in one movement buried himself to the hilt in her still throbbing depths. Her breath shuddered as she felt consumed with lust. She rolled him over, with him quickly ceding control to her as she kept her legs straddled around his hips. She began to rock back and forth, withdrawing until just the tip of him remained in her and then pressing back until she took all of him in. Her arms were raised holding her hair off her neck as she wantonly worked over him. His eyes drank in the sight of her, bewitching him with her beauty and the carnal way she was claiming him. He reached between them, pressing his thumb on the nub of nerve endings at the apex of her thighs and she flung her head back as the orgasm ripped through her, leaving her breathless and weak. She dropped her body forward onto his chest.

"Not done yet, baby. More." He claimed her lips as he rolled over and began to slowly move within her. He moved as though they had all the time in the world. The heat began to build in her center again, engulfing her as it spread throughout her body. She wrapped her legs around his hips, urging him on and raising her hips to meet his thrusts. She scraped her fingernails down his back seeking more. He obliged rising to kneeling on the bed and pulling her into his lap. He kissed her, tongue demanding entry to her mouth and then plundering her mouth as he raised and lowered her in a relentless rhythm. The pleasure from this friction was almost unbearable. She felt the need, the tenderness and the strength of this possession and as she was propelled into another orgasm, one built carefully so that she felt as though she was exploding into a million pieces. She cried out, "I love you, Daryl. I love you," and tears wet her cheeks as she covered his face in kisses.

Her body undulated around his length, the rhythmic squeezing driving him over the edge despite his surprise at her words. As he surrendered to the waves of pleasure, she said the words over and over, kissing him tenderly. Sated they laid there.

Daryl considered what she said. He had never thought of himself as someone who could give or be loved. His father hated him. His brother had loved him in a way, but Daryl knew it was a dysfunctional love, more born of dependence than emotional connection. He knew he cared for Beth, knew that he cared about her. But was it love?

Beth knew that the words made him uncomfortable. She leaned back to see his face. "Daryl, you don't have to say the words. I know you love me because you protect me and watch out for me. And you try to pick the overripe blackberries and save them for me 'cause you know they're my favorite. And you save me the wings on the birds you kill because you know that's my favorite piece. And you found a way to make a marker for my daddy, and you take it with us every time we have to move even though it's heavy and not somethin' we have to have. And you let that rabbit go and brought me to the nest so I could see the babies with their mama, 'cause you thought I would like seein' that. So you see, Daryl Dixon, I don't need to hear you say the words because in everything you do, I see your love for me." She finished and let him process what she said. He reached out and tucked her head back under his chin.

"I've never told anyone I loved them. I don't think I ever did love anyone." He paused. "Until you."

She raised her head again, eyes drenched. "I love you, Beth Greene. I'm not sure when I started, but I know I won't ever stop. I love you and will keep loving you until the day I die."

Their lips met, tenderly. Tears of joy spilled over her lids and she was touched to see the emotion in his face. Beth kept her secret. She was sure she was pregnant. She wasn't showing yet but would soon. Daryl was going to be a daddy. They were going to be a family. This world wasn't going to rob them of a future. She laid her head on his chest and drifted to sleep.

Daryl watched her sleep. Her beauty took his breath away. He tucked an errant hair behind her ear. Daryl drifted to sleep, into dreams of his future with Beth.

The End


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